Trek to Dudhsagar

Dudhsagar waterfall is one of the highest waterfall in India. It has a total height of 306 meters and a width of 30 meters. The waterfall lies in the southern part of Goa at Mollem, towards the border with Karnataka state. It forms a part of Mandovi river, Goa. Dudhsagar means 'Sea of milk' in konkani(regional language of Goa). It gets this name because when you look at it, it like an overflowing sea of milk.

There is an interesting legend attached behind to this name. Here it goes- Once upon a time there was a Princess, daughter of a wealthy and powerful king of western ghats, who used to enjoy bathing at a lake nearby. After bath, it was her habit to drink to drink jugful of sweetened milk. The jug made up of pure gold. One day while enjoying her jug of milk she found herself being watched by a Prince. Embarrassed by her inadequate attire she poured the sweetened milk to from an improvised curtain to hide her body, while one of her maids rushed to cover her with a dress. The sweetened milk cascades down the mountain slope to this day as tribute to the virtue and modesty of the Princess.

Best time to see the waterfalls? Monsoon months i.e. June to September are the best time to visit when the entire area is lush and green and offers a scenic view. However during these months the access to the waterfall may be cut due to flooded river and heavy cascading of the waterfalls. November to February is also a pleasant time to visit. During this period you can also take the route through the Bhagwan Mahavir wildlife sanctuary. However this remains closed during monsoon.

How to reach the waterfalls? The bottom of the waterfall is accessible through the Bhagwan Mahavir wildlife sanctuary. The forest department provides service up to the foot of the falls. The service is closed during monsoons.

Another most popular approach is through railway tracks. Most trekkers select the famous route from Castle Rock station, and so did we. Another starting point is from Kulem station. The distance from Castle Rock station to Dudhsagar waterfalls is approximate 14kms (13km till the Dudhsagar station and 1 km from station till the falls) and the distance from Kulem station is 11km. We boarded the Goa Express from Pune. The train starts at 4.30pm. But on the day we left, it was delayed by an hour so we left from Pune station at around 5.30pm. Reached Castle Rock station at 3.30am and started our journey walking on the railway tracks and enjoying the scenic beauty on the way.

My Experience This is the longest distance I have walked so far- 14km, but after witnessing the thunderous and the majestic waterfalls, trust me it was worth it. For most of us its was an achievement in itself :) The greenery along the tracks makes it less tiring and more fun. There are around 10 tunnels to cross and the most thrilling experience is when you are inside the tunnel and a train passes you by. Its scary by also a thrill. One does not get to experience this often. In fact we use to wait for the train whenever we found ourselves inside the tunnel. On our way we also met some uncommon species such as the Giant Atlas moth. The apical extension of its fore-wing resembles a snake's head. After 9 hours of walking trail we reached the waterfall at 1pm. Due to recent mishap nobody was allowed to go under the waterfall. After spending for like an hour at the waterfall we headed back to the Dudhsagar railway station. Boarded a train to Kulem station and from there went to Dudhsagar Spa resort. Resort booking was done before hand.

Return Journey After a night stay at Dudhsagar Spa Resort, post breakfast we left for Londa station. We hired a bus from near the resort till the Londa Station. From Londa station we boarded the train to Pune. Reached Pune at 4.30am the next day.

Note: Train bookings were done almost 2 months before.

Dos and Don't s for the trek

• Be mindful of the sound of the train.
• When inside the tunnel and a train passes by sit down and face towards the walls of the tunnel
• During the monsoons you may find leeches on the track. Carry some tobacco with you to keep the leeches at bay. Also carry some salt with you to get rid of the leeches. Salt causes the leech to dehydrate and fall off.
• Do carry a good pair of shoes or floaters.
• Carry sufficient food and water/energy drink. You will not find any eatables on the way.
• Also make sure your backpack is light to sustain while walking for 6-8 hours on tracks.
• Other things to carry- torch, rain jackets, dry clothes in plastic bags, medicines, cash, toiletries, tent and sleeping bag if you plan to camp near the falls .

Boarded the Goa Express train at 5.30pm. The train was delayed by 1 hour.

Starting point of the trek. Reached at 3.30am. There is cloak room where you can freshen up and start the trek.

Night stay at the resort after an exhausting trek. The resort has options to stay in tents and rooms. We selected tents. That was a mistake. The tents had very dim lights. No doors to the toilet. The toilet was separated by a curtain from rest of the room. Please for the rooms if you chose to stay here. Food not so great.

Boarded our train to Pune from Londa Junction. Spent two hours waiting for our train. The canteen at the station serves some good veg pulav. You can try it. Less crowded junction. If you are in a group, you can spend some awesome time here playing cards or any other game you like.